Machine for inserting bottles, etc., into tight fitting bags



D. J. RENFROE 2,031,005

INTO TIGHT FITTING BAGS Feb. 18, 1936.

MACHINE FOR INSERTING BOTTLES ETC;

Filed DSO. 22, 1934 2 sneets-sheet 1 lll l I l ll AI Illlllllll..

ATTORNEY Feb. 1s, 193s. D J RENFROE 2,031,005

MACHINE FOR INSERTING BOTTLES, ETC., INTO TIGHT FITTING BAGS Filed Dec. 22, i954 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR aW/z Jn/W05 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNET STATES aceites PATENT GFFICE MACHINE FOR INSERTING BOTTLES, ETC., INTO TIGHT FITTING BAGS 11 Claims.

This invention relates to bagging machines and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device for inserting bottles, containers and other articles into tight-fitting bags.

Another object of the invention is to provide a deviceof this type which may readily be adjusted to handle bottles and other articles of various sizes.

There arenumerous situations in which it is desirable to encase bottles and other articles in skin-tight covers for the purpose of protecting the contents from contamination as Well as enhancing the appearance and saleability of the product. One example of such use is in marketing bottled milk, a sanitary cover of the type referred to enabling dairymen to eliminate the socalled floor ring and other streaks of dirt which always collect on milk bottles standing around a dairy or grocery store or in milk wagons before delivery to the consumer.

My invention provides a simple, inexpensive device for inserting bottles and other articles into tight-tting sanitary bags which enhance the ap- 'pearance of the product and insure its delivery to theV consumer in -desired immaculate condition. For purposes of illustration I shall describe the invention as applied to a device for inserting milk bottles into form-tting paper bags but it will be :evident that it is equally well suited for bagging other containers and articles of every description.

.In its preferred form my device comp-rises a 'funnel-like spreading receptacle which may be mounted on a suitable support with the small end of the funnel toward the iioor. A paper bag is placed over the lower end of the funnel and the -bottle or other article to be bagged is inserted into the top ofthe deviceand dropped or forced down through it so that said article emerges through the bottom of the device encased in the. bag.

For adapting the device to bottles, etc. of various .sizes .I provide a plurality of interchangeable :guards the principal function of which is to limit the spread of the funnel in accordance with the size of the article to be bagged. In the case of milk bottles, for example, I may employ three frame members or rings corresponding respectively with the conventional quart, pint and halfpint bottles used by dairies. When bagging halfpint bottles all three rings may be arranged around the funnel, one beneath the other, in the order of descending size. The lowermost ring in such case acts as a stop to the bag and also hugs the half -pint bottle on its Way into the bag. When bagging pint bottles the lovvermost ring is removed, .and in the case of quart bottles only the uppermost or largest ring is employed, all three rings performing the same function with different sized bottles.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View of a machine adapted for bagging bottles of various sizes;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary sectional View illustrating a detail of construction;

Fig. 4 is -a vertical sectional view illustrating the use of the machine. in bagging quart size bottles;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View illustrating a modification of the invention;

Fig. 6 is. a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the use of this machine.

The device shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a bifurcated support I carrying a circular end frame yor ring 2. -Secured to said frame '2, as by means of spaced depending rods 3, is a smaller limiting and guiding ring 4 which in this particular `case has an internal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of a quart size milk bottle and somewhat less than the diameter of the frame or support 2. The frame 2 also carries a plurality of depending flexible fingers `5 which abut against the inner periphery lof the ring 4 and are flexed to come together at their lower ends so as to form a cone-shaped basket or funnel as shown in Fig. l. In the form illustrated the parts are made of metal and all joints are made by welding as illustrated in Figs. 1 to-S, 'although any other suitable construction may be employed.

The ldevice constructed as described above is secured to a support l, as by means of bolts 1, with the apex of the spring-fingered funnel toward the floor, and is then ready for bagging quart milk bottles. A paper bag '8 of suitable size is placed -over the apex vof the flexible lingers 5 and the bottle 9 is inserted into the top of the funnel and slid down through it as illustrated in Fig. 4 until the bottle emerges through the bottom of the device encased in the bag. In operation, the pressure of the bottle on the flexible fingers 5 automaticallyhoids the bag open to receive the bottle `which thus descends by gravity and is instantly conveyed into the bag.

For bagging pint bottles I provide a smaller ring I0 carrying spaced rods Il having their free ends bent over to form hooks l2 for suspending same from the upper ring 4 as shown in Fig. 1; while for half -pint bottles I provide a still smaller bottom ring I3 carrying elongated rods I4 and hooks I5 for suspending same from ring 4 as shown in Fig. 1. In bagging half-pint bottles all the rings are employed, one beneath the other in the order of descending size, the bottom ring I3 in such case acting as a stop to the bag and also serving to hug the bottle on its way into the bag. It will be noted that the rings 4, I8 and I3 are all disposed coaxially below the frame or support 2. In bagging pint bottles the bottom ring I3 is removed and the intermediate ring I 8 serves as a stop for the bag and guide for the bottle. For dairy purposes I have found it convenient to make the top frame 2 five inches in diameter while the respective diameters of the other rings may be: ring 4 (quart size), 4% inches; ring I0 (pint size), 3% inches; and ring I3 (half-pint size) 2% inches.

The modified bagging machine of Figs. 5 to 7 comprises a support or bracket vI1 having an annular frame I8 in which are pivoted, as by means of pivots I9, a pair of cooperating semicylindrical sections 20 the adjacent edges of which are shaped at the bottom to form a cone or funnel when the parts are canted to the open position shown in Fig. 5. The parts are normally held in this open position by coil springs-2 I which are secured at one end to the frame I 8 and at the other end to the upper edges of the respective sections 20. The bag 8 is placed over the apex of the funnel and the bottle 9 is inserted through the top as in the device previously described. When the descending bottle passes the center of the funnel the sections open until they assume the cylindrical form shown in Fig. 7, allowing the bottle to pass into the bag. This device is particularly well suited for handling bottles of one size, the device preferably being made in diierent sizes to accommodate any number of different bottles. However, it may be adjusted to different sizes if desired by employing detachable rings such as I8 and I3 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the respective rings serving to limit the opening movement of sections 20 in accordance with the size of the bottle or other article to be bagged.

Among other advantages of my bagging machine may be mentioned its simplicity of construction and operation and the easewith which it may be adapted to handle articles of different sizes. In the dairy business the nearest approach to my method of protection are the conventional paper and metal caps and seals which are expensive to manufacture and attach and at best only protect the mouth of the bottle from contamination. My device, on the other hand, makes it easy to provide all bottles with a tight-fitting, allover hood which affords complete protection against light, animals, floor rings, etc., and also reduces the danger of breakage. Although I have illustrated my invention in its application to a machine for bagging bottles of circular crosssection it will be evident that by changing the contour of the funnel it may be made to handle articles of rectangular or irregular shape in any situation where a tight-fitting bag is preferable to an open wrap. Machines of this type may also be constructed in various combinations or gangs for quantity production. These and various other changes in construction and methods of operation may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A bagging machine comprising a funnelof the funnel for the reception of the article to be bagged and being otherwise free to spread apart under the Vpressure of said article to discharge same into a bag at the small end of the funnel, a frame disposed about the periphery of said funnel between the ends thereof to limit the spread of said fingers, and a second smaller frame detachably mounted about the periphery of said funnel adjacent the small end thereof to further limit the spread of said lingers.

3. In a machine for inserting bottles into tightltting bags, an annular frame wide enough to admit the bottle to be bagged, a plurality of flexible lingers carried by said frame and iiexed to come together at their outer ends in the form of a funnel, said ngers being free to spread apart under the pressure of said bottle to discharge same into a bag at the small end of the funnel, and plural means for limiting the spread of said lingers to diiferent amounts to accommodate different sized bottles.

4. In a machine for inserting bottles into tightfitting bags, an annular frame wide enough to admit the bottle to be bagged, a plurality of flexible iingers carried by said frame and exed to come together at their outer ends in the form of a funnel, said fingers being free to spread apart under the pressure of said bottle to discharge same into a bag at thesmall end of the funnel, a ring carried by said frame and encircling said funnel to limit the spread of said iingers, and a plurality of additional rings of different diameters detachably connected to said rst mentioned ring" in the order of descending size to further limit the spread of said lingers.

5. In a machine for inserting bottles into tight-fitting bags, a support, a pair of cooperating semi-cylindrical sections pivoted on said support and having a common pivotal axis, said sections being shaped to form a funnel when canted to open position on one side of said pivot, and means for yieldingly holding said sections in open position to receive a bottle for insertion into a bag at the small end of the funnel.

6. In a machine for inserting bottles into tighttting bags, a support, a pair of cooperating semicylindrical sections pivoted on said support, said sections being shaped to form a funnel when canted to open position on one side of said pivot, means for yieldingly biasing the lower ends of said members into position for insertion into a bag and to receive a bottle for insertion into said bag, and a rigid frame depending from said support and encircling said lower ends to limit the spread of said members.

7. In a machine for inserting bottles into tightlitting bags, an annular frame wide enough to admit the bottle to be bagged, a pluralityV of members carried by said frame and having their lower ends biased to come together yieldingly in the form of a funnel, said members being free to spread apart under the pressure of said bottle to discharge the same into a bag at the small end of the funnel, and rigid means encircling the lower part of said members for limiting the outward spread of said members.

8. In a machine for inserting bottles into tightitting bags, a support, a plurality of members mounted upon said support in funnel shaped relation, having their ends adjacent to the small end of the funnel biased toward the axis thereof, and limiting and guiding rings disposed coaxially below said support and serving to limit definitely the outward movement of said members and thereby to guide said bottle denitely through said members into position to enter said bag; also serving as a stop to said bag and to insure a definitely formed outline for the guidance of said bottle into said bag, the latter being held delinitely by said members in axial arrangement therewith.

9. In a machine for inserting bottles into tightiitting bags, an annular support, a plurality of members mounted upon said support in funnel shaped relation, having their ends adjacent the small end of the funnel biased toward the axis thereof, and a limiting and guiding ring having a diameter less than that of said support disposed coaxially below said support and serving to lim'it definitely the outward movement of said member and thereby to guide said bottle definitely through said members into position to enter said bag. o

10. In a machine for inserting bottles into tight-iitting bags, an annular support, a plurality of members mounted upon said support in funnel shaped relation, having their ends adjacent the small end of the funnel biased toward the axis thereof, and limiting and guiding rings disposed coaxially below said support and serving to limit definitely the outward movement of said members so as to prevent tearing of the bag and to guide said bottle definitely through said members into position to enter said bag.

1l. In a machine for inserting bottles into tight-fitting bags, an annular support, a plurality of flexible fingers mounted upon said support in funnel shaped relation having their ends adjacent the small end of the funnel biased toward the axis thereof, and a limiting and guiding ring having a diameter less than that of said support disposed coaxially below said support and serving to limit deiinitely the outward movement of said fingers so as to prevent tearing of the bag and to guide said bottle deiinitely through said lingers into position to enter said bag.

DANIEL J. RENFROE. 

